News

Sometimes the weather is worth talking about. Like now, here at Rockbrook. We’re seeing a very unusual few days of cooler temperatures and misty light rain. Instead of 80s during the day we have 60s, and instead of the occasional thunderstorm rolling through, we have grey misty skies blanketing the mountains. Here’s an interesting chart of data from the Rockbrook weather station that shows the contrast. It looks like this slow moving front will be with us for a while.

Safe from Flooding at Rockbrook

I should mention that flooding is not a worry we have here at Rockbrook. While the French Broad river adjoins the horseback riding area, all of our camp buildings are further up the hill (more than 100 feet higher in elevation) safely away from the flood zone of the river. The record setting flood level caused by hurricane Helene last fall only touched one of our barns causing no damage. For us, this kind of rain increases the flow of our creeks and improves the waterfalls we can visit, but over the years, we’ve learned to channel rain water through culverts and down various gutters and ditches. The camp facilities do quite well, even with what seems like a lot of rain.

Carrying On Despite the Weather

The people at camp are well too! We’re making good use of long-sleeve sweatshirts and hoodies, and finding rain coats and shoes that are OK to get wet. Despite this “heavy dew,” the girls are still zipping around camp to their activities, still being creative, playing and enjoying each other’s company. All of our craft activities have continued as normal since they already meet in covered spaces, with the gym and dining hall becoming central locations for groups of girls who would have been outdoors (like swimming, for example). We’ve built fires in the fireplaces of the three lodges at camp to create cozy spots to warm up and hang out. We served hot chocolate during muffin break this morning.

We’ve taken some adventure trips in and around camp too. A few girls hiked out to Rockbrook Falls (the largest of the two major waterfalls on the camp property), and a couple of groups still navigated the Rockbrook zipline course, flying by through the drizzle and mist. Another group carried hammocks on a hike up to an area we call “The Nest.” This is a unique spot under Castle Rock where there is an overhang sheltering you from the rain. We added special hangers for the hammocks there allowing the girls to set up a “nest” and enjoy amazing views of the forest (totally dry!).

Building Resilience and Grit

This weather, despite it being a little uncomfortable, invites us to shift gears a little while still feeling like a regular part of camp life. The girls here show their grit and carry on, some completely oblivious to the differences. The girls are loving the freedom to be outside, to get a little wet and maybe a little muddy. They’re immersed in nature in a way that makes everything feel more vibrant and real. Most importantly, they’re with their friends, having a chance to sit a little closer and savor just being together. Having time like that, away from their usual sources of entertainment, is something they crave.

Take a look at this article in the Atlantic, and you’ll see what I mean. “What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their Phones,” By Lenore Skenazy, Zach Rausch, and Jonathan Haidt. Here’s the punch line: they want more freedom out in the real world to be with their friends. The authors claim our kids need more time with real friends in the real world.

Hmmm… Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Let’s be grateful camp provides exactly that.

They say good things are worth the wait, but sometimes that waiting is tough. Like when you’ve had to wait all summer for your camp session to start, or when it’s been almost a whole year since you’ve seen your camp friends, it’s almost torture. We saw many examples of this pent-up anticipation as the girls attending our third session arrived. They fidgeted in the back seat of the car as it inched along the check-in line, each stop seemingly taking far too much time. Some were bobbing up and down out of their car’s skylight along the way. These girls were ready to get started, and finally camp had begun.

Tours and Name Games

The counselors, too, were jumping with excitement eager to welcome their campers to Rockbrook. All morning, under beautiful sunny skies, girls arrived to join their cabin groups and begin setting up their bunks, making beds and organizing trunks. Each group took turns visiting the “spa” to have their hair checked, while others enjoyed walking tours of the main sections of camp. “That’s the path to the Alpine climbing tower, and that’s the way to the woodshop.” The youngest girls, the “Juniors,” visited the camp store to collect the gear they had ordered. You’ll soon see bright new Rockbrook sweatshirts, pajama pants, and water bottles all around camp.

Swimming Demonstrations

Right away, we could see it happening: an easygoing feeling to those first conversations, to the name games, to the singing of camp songs at the assembly on the hill. After lunch, which featured heaping platters of Rick’s homemade mac-n-cheese, that same feeling added to the refreshment of taking our first dip in the Rockbrook lake. One by one, the girls jumped off the dock, swam and treaded water to demonstrate their swimming ability for the team of lifeguards. With the encouragement from the directors, lifeguards and counselors there helping, these “swim demos” also felt great in the warm afternoon weather.

As we settled down after dinner and enjoyed a sunset over the distant mountains— the hill at camp has a great view for summer sunsets —the girls again seemed at ease. The excitement of every camp activity will start in the morning. For now, everyone could rest in their cabin among new and old friends, breathe in the cool mountain night air, and feel the comfort of finally being here at Rockbrook.

Adapting to a Power Outage

We always say that camp teaches resilience, and today we had a clear example. About 4:30 this morning, a large red oak tree fell about a half mile down the road from Rockbrook and took down all the power lines with it. Normally, power outages around here are quickly repaired and we’re back to normal in a couple of hours, but sometimes it can take much longer. With this in mind, we installed a backup generator in 2019. It powers our kitchen, water system and health hut, but that’s it. During an outage, we’re still able to prepare and serve meals, use the bathrooms (though without hot water), and take care of basic health needs.

Right from the beginning campers used headlamps and flashlights as needed. For example, this morning in the dining hall, we ate our breakfast by battery-powered lanterns and the early morning light from the skylights. All of the regular camp activities carried on just fine without electricity since so much of what we do is outdoors. Our office, on the other hand, has been without power all day, so thank you for your patience if you’ve been trying to reach us by phone or email. Most of the campers postponed their showers today, waiting for the hot water heaters to come back online, which they did, by the way, at 4pm when the power came back on (thankfully!).

Overall, these inconveniences required us to be a little flexible and a little patient, but life at camp always requires some of that. Camp girls know how to pivot to a new activity, switch gears because of the weather, and always find something spontaneous to do with a friend. At camp, what at first seems like challenges easily become fresh opportunities.

Yesterday our July Mini 2 campers arrived, finally ending their waiting for camp. All that anticipation turned into visible excitement as they checked into camp one by one. Cabin groups came together, as counselors cheered with each arrival. The girls set up their cabins, had a quick tour of the camp, and visited the camp store to collect their pre-camp gear purchases… all before an all-camp assembly on the hill and lunch.

Wizard of Oz All-Camp Event

The big event of the day was a “Wizard of Oz” themed all-camp event that sent the girls scampering about to try different fun activities. Most of the fun happened up on the hill, with speakers playing songs from Wicked and The Wizard of Oz echoing across the camp. One activity station was the “Yellow Brick Skittle,” where participants had to pick out all the yellow Skittles from about 10 pounds of them.

Another station was Broom Making with the Wicked Witch, where they made mini brooms using dried lavender, thyme, and hay. We also had apple slice decorating as a food option, kind of like mini candy apples with various toppings. We organized a scavenger hunt where kids searched for items like ruby slippers, flying monkeys, the Grimmery (a big book), and Galinda the Good Witch. Some items were hidden around camp, while others were staff costumes.

At Friendship Rock, we held “Elphaba’s Cry Workshop” inspired by the movie Wicked. This was an opportunity for anyone to perform their cry in front of everyone. We heard several impressive renditions of “Defying Gravity.” We had an “I’m Melting Dunk Tank” where campers answered trivia questions for a chance to dunk someone. Another activity was guessing how many silver Hershey kisses were in a jar; it was 216 kisses, and a Middler camper guessed it exactly!

There was also a lollipop toss called the “Lollipop Guild” (similar to cornhole), “Scarecrow Hay Day” where kids searched for scarecrow brains inside straw bales, and a costume relay race dressing up as scarecrows. Other activities included apple bobbing with the Tin Man in the lake, hair bow making with Dorothy in the dining hall, and hot air balloon crafting with felted 3D balloons. As for costumes, we saw lots of Elphabas, Galindas, Totos, Yellow Brick Roads, Munchkins, Scarecrows, Tin Men, and even an Emerald City!

Overall, it was a fantastic afternoon that showed our campers’ amazing adaptability. As they bopped between activities spread across camp, making the most of every opportunity, they proved once again that the best part of camp is simply being together.

We’re finding ourselves in a typical summer weather pattern. Like the last couple days, and probably for the next few, today began cool and foggy. The temperature and dew point hovered together around 67 degrees when we woke up, with the humidity about 99 percent. We’re pulling a lot of moisture out of the Gulf, and there’s no major weather system to push it out. As the sun warmed things up, all morning we enjoyed bright skies with big puffy clouds. Higher up near our surrounding mountains the air is much cooler, so as our moist air near the ground warmed, evaporating the dew, it began to rise. That clash between the rising moist air and the cooler air above it created what we expected: a thunderstorm.

Today’s storm happened just after lunch, around 2pm. Perfect timing! Our lightning alarm sounded and everyone scattered back to their cabins for rest hour. For the next hour or so we watched the storm drop more than half an inch of rain… all that moisture returning to the ground. By 3:30, the storm had passed and the sun was back out for the rest of the day. You can see how an afternoon thunderstorm can become a recurring thing. By the way, if you’re interested in the weather at Rockbrook, our weather station publishes its data here and here.

Dancing in the Rain

Sometimes we’re simply caught in the rain, getting wet and cooling off. This can inspire some pretty silly stuff. For example, yesterday the Hi-Ups decided, since they were already wet, to dance around in the rain and then roll down the hill wearing trash bags. Why? For no particular reason other than the fun of it. Today, a couple of senior campers found themselves walking in the creek, and soon with no warning having a splash battle. Both examples ended up with everyone soaking wet and laughing hysterically. Once again, there’s proof that camp offers a joyous freedom to relax into the world, to be fully present and playful, no matter what the weather. We adults might occasionally summon the courage to say, “Ah, what the heck!” and dance in the rain, soaked to the skin. But kids at camp? They do it instinctively and without hesitation. Lucky them!

Craft Specialists at Camp

Several of the craft activities at Rockbrook are led by day-staff specialists, artists and craft artisans who can offer more knowledge and experience than a cabin counselor. These are crafts where more instruction makes all the difference. Woodworking is a perfect example. It involves a range of essential skills and concepts, not to mention sharp cutting tools that require careful handling. Pottery, too, benefits from experienced teaching, especially when girls are learning to throw on the wheel. Having someone close by to demonstrate techniques and offer hands-on help can be the key to success. Weaving in Curosty and Needlecraft are two more examples. In each case, the girls are learning something new, often quite sophisticated, even as they’re simply having fun exploring their creativity.

In the end, it’s a summer day at camp with its misty mornings, midday showers, muddy hands and feet, and a special unbounded laughter we cherish. It’s a daily rhythm we’ve come to love, rain and all.

Rockbrook is always a place of celebration, but the 4th of July gives us an extra special reason to kick things up a notch! And the festivities start first thing, even before the rising bell.

The riding staff members, dressed in their finest red, white and blue, ride decorated horses up into camp! This morning, they spread out and rode down each cabin line shouting, “The British are coming! Wake up! Wake up!” (a playful nod to Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride). We’ve done this for years at Rockbrook, but it’s still a fun surprise for the girls to wake up hearing hoofbeats outside their cabins. A little sleepy-eyed, the girls stumble out onto the hill and gather around the flagpole where the Hi-Ups lead a flag raising ceremony.

British Counselors Take a Dip

Down at the lake, the counselors we have from the UK performed a short skit that ended up with all of them jumping in the water, proving again that the British are already here.

Red, White and Blue All Day

All this patriotic spirit and celebration, continued throughout the day. Red, white and blue decorations transformed the dining hall with streamers, posters, and ribbons hung in every direction. We set tables with patriotic headbands, stickers, glitter, and temporary tattoos that quickly became the most popular accessories of the day, giving our regular camp activities an extra dose of stars-and-stripes sparkle.

Rick's Special Tamales

Rick and his fantastic kitchen crew prepared a special lunch for everyone, something that he serves only occasionally because it takes multiple people three days to make. Using traditional ingredients, they made us 4 different varieties of tamales. Masa corn flour, stock, and different fillings like cheese, chicken, peppers and onions, plus two different sauces (a red and a green) are all wrapped in a corn husk and then steamed for two hours. Altogether they made about 1,200 tamales! Giant pots of steaming tamales filled the kitchen. Unwrapping warm, freshly steamed tamales for lunch. What a treat!

We served dinner on the hill, a classic meal of burgers, french fries, and watermelon or pineapple. The girls were surprised to find they could have a can of Cheerwine soda kept cold in the creek.

Counselor Hunt and Pie Eating

The evening activity began with a classic counselor hunt. Ten counselors hid around the camp and each cabin roamed together looking for them. Only one cabin managed to find all ten, completing their map and earning a prize trip with Casey next week. We also held a pie-eating contest. We’ve found over the years that it works best to have counselors eat the pie and the campers cheer them on. It’s actually quite difficult to eat a whole pie, but Blaire was able to beat six others in the contest.

As it grew dark, we topped the day with our own fireworks show. Casey gave out glow sticks to all the girls, and as they gathered on the hill in their crazy creek chairs, we blasted fun music. For the next 30 minutes or so, we enjoyed a dance party while the boom and sparkle of fireworks lit up the sky. As the girls twirled their glow sticks and sang along to the music, they cheered with every colorful burst.

From early galloping horses to the nighttime fireworks spectacular, the 4th of July today at Rockbrook was a day-long celebration of camp fun, red-white-and-blue flair, and good times with friends. Happy 4th of July!

Ask any Rockbrook camper to name something they look forward to at camp, and they’ll likely tell you about their session’s Banquet. Many will even tell you it’s their favorite event at camp, and therefore is something exciting just from the anticipation that builds throughout the session. The Banquet is held on the second to last night, so it’s a celebration of everything that’s grown while we’re here: the creativity, the enthusiasm, the joy, and of course the deep friendships that tie this community together. It’s a party unlike any other because it happens here at camp with all of these great people.

Planning the Magic

The CA campers (our 9th graders) take on the task of creating the magic of this event. From the very first day of their session when they select a secret theme for the Banquet, they are planning and preparing. They make all the decisions about the program, their costumes, the music, the decorations and the food to be served.

Transforming the Dining Hall

They take this planning quite seriously too, with every detail receiving attention. Using painted banners, carefully arranged lighting, streamers, table decorations, and various props, the CAs completely reimagine the dining hall, transforming it into a colorful new world.

They transform themselves too, becoming elaborately dressed characters. This is a big part of the fun for the CAs. They love taking on new personalities and dressing their parts, all adding to the theme of the night. These characters perform as well, both in short skits that can unfold a plot, and in choreographed dance numbers. With carefully chosen music, again based on the theme, the whole camp enjoys seeing all of this come together.

On banquet day, the CAs cover the dining hall windows with sheets while they hang their decorations, rearrange the dining hall and get ready in costume. Everyone knows they’re setting up for the big event, but anticipation builds as the theme is still a secret. Cheers go up when it’s finally time to enter and discover the theme. Let the party begin!

A Journey Through the Decades

This session’s banquet theme featured music, decorations, costumes and dancing from different historical decades as the CAs went back in time for a “Blast from the Past.” They told a story of a few travelers who go back in time to retrieve the Spirit of Rockbrook, going way back to find cavemen (all the counselors), flappers from the ’20s (when Rockbrook was founded), bobby soxers from the 50s, disco dancers from the 70s, jazzercise neon from the 80s, and skaters from the 90s. Groups of CAs represented each decade and performed dance medleys for us.

Between dance performances everyone was encouraged to get up and dance, turning the whole event into a massive dance party. Eat something (chicken tenders, tater tots, salad), dance and sing, pause for photos, take in the extravagance (so much glittery confetti!) —that’s how it went.

Friends True and Faithful

The banquet ended, as it has for decades at camp, singing the song “Rockbrook Camp Forever.” The girls stood, arm-in-arm, singing “friends true and faithful” over and over again. Hugging each other tightly, you could sense the real meaning of the banquet. It’s about friends celebrating each other, knowing deep down that they are loved. For all of us, Rockbrook is a home like that.

Thank you CA girls for a wonderful banquet. We all loved it.

Sundays are all-camp days at Rockbrook. Instead of each camper following her individual activity schedule, or a cabin group sticking together for “cabin day,” we spend the day all together for several different events. It’s a refreshing change of pace, and often filled with surprises.

Flag Raising in Red and White

This morning we began by sleeping in a little extra, which felt especially good after our busy week at camp. For breakfast, Rick arranged for fresh Krispy Kreme donuts to be delivered, adding them to our regular breakfast fare of fruit, yogurt, and cereals. Then we had time to get cleaned up and change into our camp uniforms, for campers the white shirt, shorts and red tie, and for counselors their red polo staff shirt. The whole camp, now all sharp in our red and white, lined up around the flag pole on the hill for a short flag raising ceremony. The Hi-Ups raised both the American flag and our camp flag, and we all recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang “America the Beautiful.” These simple camp traditions settle everyone down before walking down to the chapel area of camp.

Chapel on Simplicity

We call this area the “Chapel” because it’s a beautiful, quiet spot in the forest where we can gather as a community and reflect on some of the values that help make Rockbrook special. The program is not a religious ceremony, but instead a collection of short camper reflections, songs, and something by Sarah, often a children’s book— all revolving around a theme.

Today’s theme was “Simplicity.” The Middler Line campers shared how nice it was not having to bring fancy bathing products to camp, and using simple things instead. They also talked about enjoying being away from technology, appreciating friendships, nature, and even Felix, the camp dog.

Songs and Stories About Simple Things

We learned a new song called “Simple Joys,” with some campers leading it. Then we sang “Simple Gifts,” with six campers playing the ukulele and singing along. We also sang “Blue Skies,” learned the camp song, and “Heart of the Wooded Mountain,” another classic.

Sarah read a book called, Small Things Mended, by Casey W. Robinson. It’s about how taking care of little things leads to more joy. The story follows a man who starts fixing things for neighborhood kids, first a pocket watch, then a music box. Word spreads, and soon everyone begins bringing him things to fix. He decides to host weekly lunches with produce from his garden, fixes up his garden, and realizes how happy he is because he’s surrounded by friends. He discovers that even a broken heart can be fixed simply with friends.

Lately, some of us have started referring to our chapel as an acronym: Community, Happiness, Adventure, Peace, Earth, and Love. Chapel is a time to celebrate all of these things we enjoy at camp. It’s a time for us to slow down and appreciate the simple things that mean so much.

Welcome! Welcome, summer 2025! Welcome to everyone arriving at Rockbrook today for the start of their camp session. It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. We’ve been planning for camp, packing for camp, setting up for camp, and dreaming about camp for weeks, some of us for months. As the opening day approached, you could feel the excitement building, the beautiful energy of it all. Something special was about to begin.

We all felt this too, not just the campers. Our staff had just finished their week long training and orientation, and they were ready to get started. Our maintenance and housekeeping staff were finishing their preparations all around the camp. Our nurses were reviewing the health histories of everyone arriving, as our kitchen staff was finalizing menus and restocking our pantry. Our office staff had been communicating and organizing stacks of paperwork, and our Directors were pleased that everything in this intentional community was coming together. We have all been looking forward to this day.

The Beautiful Energy of Finally Beginning

Of course, the campers were the most excited. For the girls returning to Rockbrook, today was a day to reunite with their camp friends. Hug after smiling hug, coming back together after a year of school was marvelous. New campers too: while perhaps mixed with some nervous energy, they also were excited to find their counselors waiting for them eager to introduce cabin mates and help everyone get oriented to camp life.

Our staggered arrival system again worked well. It allowed the queue to move along smoothly and the girls in the same cabin to arrive approximately at the same time. This is great because the girls can immediately get busy together: making beds, arranging trunks in the cabin, learning names, decorating name tags, and touring around the camp.

Once everyone arrived, the first event was to gather on the hill for a quick all-camp assembly before lunch. The morning misty weather had cleared completely by then making the view of the mountains fantastic. Sarah introduced the campers to the Hi-Ups and the other Directors, explained a few safety things (e.g., the camp boundaries, and the lightning warning system), and led the whole group in a couple of camp songs. Felix’s cameo appearance was another highlight.

Comfort Food and Community

It’s somehow become a tradition of sorts at Rockbrook for the opening day lunch to be Rick’s homemade baked Mac-n-Cheese and watermelon. With a crisp salad and steamed broccoli on the side, it’s a warm plate of comfort. It’s so melty and savory inside with crunchy breadcrumbs on top, it really is a hit. He also prepared today a gluten-free, vegan version, that was also delicious.

Swimming Demonstrations

After a short rest hour, it was time for an introduction to the Rockbrook lake, our “refreshingly cool” mountain stream-fed swimming hole. At the beginning of every session we invite all of the campers to learn about the lake protocols, for example our “tag system,” and to demonstrate their swimming ability to the lifeguards. These “swim demos” involve jumping into the water from the dock, swimming out and back a short distance, and treading water for a minute. The guards classify swimming abilities into three levels with some being restricted to the shallow part of the lake and others requiring a lifejacket. No matter their level, though, every camper gets to enjoy cooling off in the lake in some way. Today’s warm and sunny afternoon weather made the lake quite inviting, encouraging the girls to jump right in and enjoy this classic camp experience.

Activity Skits

Another assembly, this time in the gym, was devoted to the activity options available to the girls. The counselors and specialist instructors performed skits to introduce what each activity offered. Combining costumes and songs, and of course plenty of props (think kayaks, ropes, helmets, tennis rackets, and craft supplies), these skits were often pretty silly… entertaining too. Later in the evening, the campers would be selecting their first set of four activities, so these skits were a great way to spur ideas about what to try. The new music activity, “The Rockbrook Songbirds,” where the girls will learn to play the ukulele and dive deeper into the Rockbrook songbook, seemed to turn a few heads with interest. Since each camper chooses her own activity schedule, the activities are a great way for the girls to meet other friends at camp who are not necessarily in their cabin. Rockbrook is just the right size, not super small or too large, to meet almost everyone and feel a part of the whole community.

Tomorrow we’ll all scatter and launch into our first full day of camp activities. We’re ready!

Hurricane Helene in the Heart of a Wooded Mountain

We imagine you have all heard the news that western North Carolina experienced a very powerful hurricane that left quite a lot of damage in its wake. Because this area has many rivers and creeks and communities built near them, the rising waters affected a large number of towns and cities.

Many of you have reached out to find out how Rockbrook fared in this massive storm, and so we wanted to take a moment to give you an update. Overall, we feel very lucky that the damage was not as extensive as many places in our region. The most obvious damage has been to our roads and underground pipes and culverts. With the steep terrain of Rockbrook, and the two waterfalls, there were incredible amounts of water rushing down the hill and the driveway, digging up pipes and finding new ways of entering and exiting the lake. In a few places, the soil was so waterlogged that some mudslides occurred.

With so many trees on our property, there were a number that fell. Two buildings were affected by fallen trees – one of our newly renovated cabins and the red cottage at the base of our service driveway both ended up with trees on them. The stream that runs under the dining hall was so full that mud ended up inside the kitchen and dining room. The stream then continued under the dining hall, splashing up and over the bridge in front of Goodwill.

Down at the barn, all of the horses were moved up to the highest part of our riding center, doubling up in the stalls and in the arena. The water filled up the lower ring and reached the outer stalls in the lower barn and also covering the bridge to the pastures. Everyone and all of the animals at Rockbrook are safe. While we still don’t have power or water, the cleanup effort has begun, and we are assessing the repairs needed to all of the buildings.

As many of you have asked how you can help, we are including the link to donate to our Building Fund, and to help with relief for our wider area, please consider the World Central Kitchen. We are so grateful for our Rockbrook family, and we are happy to report that all of the damage will be fixable by the time our 2025 season begins. Please be patient as our communications from camp have been slowed by this event. We can’t wait to see you all again!